Seriously… We’re Not.

How do you make someone take a serious subject seriously? By not treating the serious subject seriously. We mean it, seriously.

We take serious subjects, strategic insights, silly ideas, fun things we’d like to do, and/or cool ideas you’d like to see and turn them into film—shorts, viral video, television programming and documentaries—that people actually want to watch. They can even learn something valuable about the subject and themselves in the process.

We’re not just artists having fun on your dime. We are professionals, bringing years of award-winning creative excellence in advertising and communications to the table to tell your story.

Nobody is as serious about not being serious as we are. Seriously.

Earl & Grace Films. Bringing everyday heroes to light.

Who We Are

Matty Schneck

Animator

Matt has always, in one way or another, been involved with animation. It started with, innocently enough, flip-books depicting random acts of violence toward stick people as well as stop-action shorts featuring clay and action figures. Slowly, his attention turned toward the digital medium, where more clearly defined stick figures could meet their doom. He’s been animating on a more professional level since 2004, having done animations for nice people such as musician Josh Kelley and former child star Robbie Rist. Living in Texas, Matty enjoys long floats down the river, barbecues and fire ants.

Jennifer Egan

Animator, After Effects

Jennifer Egan graduated with honors with a B.S. (some say bachelor of science; others, bullsh#@) in Computer Animation from the Art Institute of Philadelphia in 2003, where her Gnarly Pencil logo earned her one of her two Best of Quarter awards. Jennifer drew all the original characters and animated them for the MTV video The Flying Machines. Appreciate her work at www.gnarlypencil.com.

John Fahy

Writer, Director, Editor

John is an accomplished film editor and highly sought-after script-doctor based in New York City. This longtime Miramax Films creative executive has worked with many of the industry’s most prolific talents as well as scores of equally-talented, lesser-known artists. Why he’s working with us, we’re still not sure.

John holds undergraduate degrees in Finance and Creative Advertising from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications and a graduate degree in Filmmaking from New York University. Aside from his work with us, John’s a partner at M360 Studios, where he oversees development and production of feature films and select television projects for their entertainment division. To learn more about John and his work, check out FahyFilms.com.

Jeff Sutton

Technical Whiz Kid

Jeff is manager of our technical department. He’s worked sound, lights and even done a voice over on the short Doncha Wanna Snyack?.

Dan Rosengard

Music Director, Piano, Arranger

A native of Boston, Dan studied piano privately and at the New England Conservatory of Music, later attending Columbia University and graduating from the Berklee College of Music with a degree in Piano Performance. As a pianist/keyboardist, Dan has appeared with artists as diverse as Billy Joel, Deborah Gibson, Anthony Newley, choreographer Jennifer Muller, The Manhattan Rhythm Kings, Vince Giordano’s Nighthawks and Tavares. He’s recorded with John Zorn’s “Cobra,” Leon Redbone, Darden Smith, the DMP Big Band, among others, and has performed on many film and television soundtracks, commercial jingles, industrials and Broadway productions. Dan has also acted as music director and/or conductor in a wide variety of musical settings, including Jennifer Holliday and Tommy Tune’s live acts, the New York MDA Telethon (six times), Lenny Pickett’s opera Welfare and Signs and Wonders, an original musical produced at NYU. His composing/arranging credits include Jon Secada, Kathy Mattea, Randy Brecker, the film Duke Ellington, the play Isn’t It Romantic, NBC’s 75th Anniversary, and VH-1’s Men Strike Back and Divas 2001.

Once a member of the creative team at NBC’s Saturday Night Live (where he composed and arranged special musical material for the comedy sketches during the 2000/2001 and 2001/2002 seasons), he worked with a wide variety of today’s hottest entertainers. Recent projects include a performance with Leonard Slatkin and the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center’s 11th Annual Gala; arranging and orchestrating for Tommy Tune’s show, White Tie and Tails; live appearances with Natalie Cole, Donna Summer, Bette Midler and Blood, Sweat & Tears; composing music for the film Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa; musical direction/arranging/conducting for Ray of Light, a Ray Charles tribute; producing the CD, Dinosaur Holiday for the American Museum of Natural History; vocal arrangements for Martin Scorcese’s film, The Aviator, and a collaboration with Howard Shore, the Academy Award-winning composer of the three Lord of the Rings films. Dan is the guy who actually plays the piano Not Bluesy Enough—an incredible feat considering he had to match movements with an actor who doesn’t play the piano!

Gregory Jones

Actor, Writer

Most recently seen in the role John Turturro made famous in John Patrick Shanley’s Danny and the Deep Blue Sea at Vineyard Playhouse, Greg has done national TV commercials and several films, including the title role in Max Goodman’s Last Film (New York Film Festival, BBC Film Festival, and Montreal World Film Festival). Once the host of Microsoft’s Ideawins.com site, Greg now plays Bob, part of the Bob and Biff overgrown fraternity Knobs in The Corporate Knobs series. Greg would really like to see you see him at www.gregorycjones.com.

Brian Hotaling

Actor

Although Brian may be most recognizable as the hemorrhoid guy from his long-running Preparation H commercials, he’s done extensive on-camera and voice-over commercial work for many non-buttock-oriented entities including Mercedes, Hackensack Medical Center, and Westin Hotels. A veteran of regional theater, Brian’s performed at PlayMakers Rep and Actors Theater of Louisville and trained at William Esper at the Esper Studio in New York. He’s played a working-class father from Queens on Law & Order as well as various roles on One Life to Life and As the World Turns. Brian originated the role of Biff, one-half of the overgrown fraternity duo Bob and Biff, in The Corporate Knobs series. He lives in Brooklyn under an assumed name—his own. Check out www.brianhotaling.com.

Darin Guerrasio

Actor, Writer

A graduate of the William Esper Studio, Darin has been doing theatre in New York for a few years now. Credits include The Information She Carried (FringeNYC 2005), Julius Caesar (White Plains Performing Arts Center) and Star Power (Algonquin Productions). Darin also writes and performs with the sketch troupe Tools of Justice, acts as co-producer and writer of JACFlix Productions and plays Seymour, the scared bunny Knob, in The Corporate Knobs series.

Rob Gorden

Actor, Comic, Writer

Rob’s from the Boston area and started everything pretty much there. Seen on CBS’s The World Wild Web, QVC and the classic B movie Drainiac. He did for toilets in Drainiac what Psycho did for showers. Rob’s co-hosted SpikeTV’s Geek-Ray Vision and The Rob and Mark Show with Mark Douglas, his comedy partner and the award-winning duo can be seen on The Oxygen Network and heard on WFNX in Boston, WZON (owned by Stephen King), XM Satellite Radio and the legendary Dr. Demento Show. The boys have written songs for The Boston Red Sox, won the Connecticut Comedy Festivals’ Third Annual Laugh Off and participated in the Boston and DC Comedy Festivals. Rob plays Dick Johnson, the so-called leader of The Corporate Knobs, as well as Reggie, the nerdy office guy in Inside Voice. See Rob in action at www.robgorden.com.

Mo Fathelbab

Actor, Writer, Director

Mo is a proud product of the UCBT Training Center, having studied improv and sketch techniques under Julie Brister, Owen Burke, Curtis Gwinn, Peter Gwinn, Michael Delaney, Billy Merritt, Kevin Mullaney, Ian Roberts, Katie Roberts, and Matt Walsh. On the UCBT NY stage, he’s been seen The After School Super Power Hour, The Documentary, The Holiday Spectacular, Human Jack-in-the-Box (directed by Matt Walsh), The Iron Sheikh, Friends (which he wrote) and Mock the Vote (which he co-created). Mo also helps put together Liquid Courage, the weekly open mic show for sketch writers, and is a part of the UCBW stable of colorful wrestlers.

As director, he’s helmed The Goods are Odd (Official Selection of the 2006 NYC Fringe Festival) and co-directed Vincent Price Jr. Presents… with Curtis Gwinn. Mo’s also written and directed a handful of short films and once spent some time as a script doctor in Egypt. When he’s not on stage, Mo’s either managing or teaching a show (Nominee for 2005 ECNY Award for Best Tech Person) at UCBT NY. He can be seen in Inside Voice. Learn more about Mo and his upcoming shows (hey, that rhymes!).

Jim Ellis

Musician, Arranger, Producer

Born a small-town, Georgia boy, Jim grew up the son of a Methodist minister. After much moving about, his family settled down on Saint Simon’s Island, where he attended high school and which he considers his hometown. North Carolina welcomed Jim into its university system and graciously provided him with semi-advanced musical training before insisting he take his diploma and leave the premises. Since moving to Atlanta, GA, Jim has written a lot of quarter notes, including themes from WKRP in Cincinnati, Buffalo Bill, Lynette Jennings Design, a feature-length movie for TBS, a fabulous children’s musical called The Journey of Sir Douglas Fir and several thousand TV and radio commercials as well as rhythm, string and horn charts for numerous pop, gospel, and R&B releases. Jim did all the original music arrangements and recording for the shorts La Vendetta Della Secretaria and Inside Voice. Wanna know more? Check out www.jimellismusic.com.

Charles Everett

Production Assistant, Actor, Voice Actor

When he’s not actually being a production assistant, Charles plays Charles The Intern in The Corporate Knobs series, Winston (The Black Ghostbuster) on SNL’s TV Funhouse and various characters on Law & Order as well as numerous theatrical and independent film roles. Charles trained at NYU, University of New Haven and with the Negro Ensemble Company. Have fun watching his various characters at www.charleseverett.com.

Eric Deskin

Comic, Actor, Writer

Eric is a New York City-based standup comic and actor who appears regularly at comedy clubs, theaters and other venues ‘round here. He plays Herman, the Odd Knob who doodles body parts all day in The Corporate Knobs series. Look for him on F/X’s Rescue Me, ABC’s One Life to Live and ABC’s Cashmere Mafia. See more of Eric at www.ericdeskin.com or www.myspace.com/ericdeskin.

Lora Chio

Actor, Writer

Lora moved from the booming metropolis of Greenfield, Indiana, to seek peace and quiet in New York City. Somehow she’s managed to corner the market on being cast as an Asian-Jew (Surprised? So’s she!) Look for her shaking her moneymaker in Verizon ads, in a variety of off-Broadway performances and in the indie feature American Standard. Her character’s name? Soon-Yi Finkelstein. (We told you so.) Not surprisingly, Lora plays the dominatrix friend of Melody in Inside Voice.

David Bramfitt

Producer, Sound Whiz

David is a composer/producer in New York City, specializing in music for film and TV. Among other things, he’s written music for the quirky TV series A&E’s Family Plots, as well as A&E’s Dog the Bounty Hunter and Court TV’s Haunting Evidence. David is the techno whiz guy who figured out how to sync piano playing done in New York with pretend piano playing done in Atlanta by an actor for the short Not Bluesy Enough. To admire David’s work, visit www.davidbramfitt.com.

Tara Copeland

Writer, Actor

Tara made her way to New York after eighteen years in Arkansas via Bryn Mawr College, where she discovered her love for sketch and improv comedy while performing with The Lighted Fools. She’s performed at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and The Magnet Theater, appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien and in The Third Degree, CommediaDel High School, Vampires in Havana, The Made Up Musical, the short film Running with Scissors, 30 Rock and rocks as Pip in The Crushing Blow. Tara teaches improv in New York with Chicago City Limits and The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and improvisation and musical improvisation a The Magnet Theater. She loves to play various characters who are tortured and, in turn, exact revenge on The Corporate Knobs. See Tara in action at www.taracopeland.net.

Chris Blair

Writer, Actor

Chris is a founding member of Dad’s Garage Theatre Company in Atlanta, GA, and a member of the award-winning Dad’s Garage improv ensemble since 1995. Through the years, he has performed all over the U.S., Canada, and Amsterdam, and teaches improvisation, writes/directs and acts at local Atlanta establishments. When relaxing (which doesn’t happen often), Chris enjoys his collection of fine sipping tequila. Chris can be seen in The Really Long Note, Not Bluesy Enough, Daxe and Meth Lab.

Ryan Darrenkamp

Associate Producer

Ryan was born in Amish Country and spent his childhood working for the family business and running nude around the forest. At eighteen, he packed his things and left for college in Philadelphia where Ryan became infamous for having unusually large hands and a knack for injuring himself. With help from his roommates, Ryan discovered his love for mischief. No construction site, abandoned building or rooftop was safe from Ryan and his nomadic tendencies. He graduated super cum laude with a marketing degree and immediately returned to Amish Country, living in an abandoned grocery store for a year while he decided what he wanted to do with his life. One day he woke up and moved to New York City to live in a closet of an apartment with an acquaintance and soon-to-be best friend. He walked dogs and watched TV for money to pay rent while exploring the city in his mischievous ways. Stumbling drunk into the Earl & Grace office one day, he was immediately offered a job.

Vance J. Spicer

Director of Photography

Vance was born in beautiful Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and soon thereafter fell in love with the camera when he was big enough to carry it on his own shoulder for family vacations. A communications graduate from Millersville University, he worked as a director of photography on three feature-length projects, two documentaries and anything else he could fit into his spare time between classes. Vance has worked on I Am Legend and Ted’s MBA as well as at multiple film festivals, including the Tribeca Film Festival, SilverDocs and the Milwaukee International Film Festival. Vance is known for his love of bicycles and steaks, along with his ability to be memorialized in parking lots, radio shows, etc. prior to his demise.

Gary Kaczmarek

Creative Consigliere, Director, Writer, Editor, Geezer

Gary began his film career as a miscreant youth, making special effects in the basement and blowing stuff up in the backyard. Later he became an award-winning creative director (look for his fifty zillion awards on eBay), working for places like Grey Advertising, J Walter Thompson, BBDO, and a bunch of other cool name-dropping places. Gary directs, writes, shoots, and edits, preferring to be addressed as “Hammerhead” while on set. To see Gary’s work, click to www.garykaz.com.

Lori Hamilton

President/Managing Partner, Writer, Actor, Producer

Lori started telling stories at 18 months old and hasn’t stopped since. She’s worked as a stand-up comic, opera singer, improviser, actress, writer, and producer with cool places like UCB, The PIT, Dad’s Garage, Juilliard, and the Atlanta Opera, and toured a one-woman show as part of the national New Play Festival. With 15 awards for creative excellence sitting on her shelf, Lori’s known around the office as the human tape recorder. To see Lori in action, jump to www.lorihamiltonactor.com.